Some people are up in arms due to some retail stores opening this year on Thanksgiving Day. At first I thought, “Seriously? Can’t everyone have a day off to spend with family and friends?” I read where people said they would boycott these stores in the future due to them trying to take away “family time.” Then I started thinking about people who perhaps don’t celebrate Thanksgiving or people who live away from family and might want to work that day and receive holiday pay. And just because a store is open and might have some seriously good buys, doesn’t mean I have to shop on Thanksgiving Day
Now I believe the turkeys and Pilgrims should have their day. I personally decorate for Thanksgiving/Fall with my pilgrim, turkey and leaf décor. I will say that last year, I did take my Thanksgiving decorations down and start putting my Christmas décor up ON Thanksgiving because my husband was working and we had already celebrated. In a perfect world, I wish it was a day everyone was sitting around a table, a bench, a hospital bed…surrounded by someone they loved. I would wish everyone could enjoy a bountiful feast and not go to bed hungry. I wish it were a day we could just enjoy the love and laughter of family and friends, being thankful for what we have.
I was talking to my husband about this subject and said, “What if they (the stores) only made employees work that day if they wanted to work…or needed that extra pay?” My husband pointed out that stores can’t operate that way and then reminded me that he works on Thanksgiving, as does my son, and step-son. I kind of forget that because we have our Thanksgiving celebration on a different day every year, based on work schedules, but it always feels like Thanksgiving Day that day. Family and friends gathered around the table, sharing food we’ve all brought, being thankful for each other’s company, celebrating each other’s high points and feeling empathy for the year’s troubles.
Some of the stores that are opening on Thanksgiving Day this year include; Walmart, Old Navy, K-Mart, Sears, Best Buy, Macy’s, J.C. Penney, Target, Michael’s, and Staples.
Some businesses that have always been open on Thanksgiving Day include; hospitals, pharmacies, police stations, fire departments, hotels, restaurants, taxi services, airports, etc.
I guess, because a lot of our family are in the hospitality business, I’m used to not celebrating a holiday on the actual holiday.
I personally won’t be shopping on Thanksgiving but I won’t shop on Black Friday either. Back in the day, when my son was younger and my mom was still alive, shopping on Black Friday was one of the things I looked forward to, getting great bargains on toys and spending a hectic but fun day with my mom. Now that I’m older and don’t really “need” a ton of gifts and I see people actually getting hurt or even killed…well, I just stay home and pig-out on leftovers.
It does seem to me that the only reason stores are opening on Thanksgiving is so they will have an extra day of profits. It will be interesting to see how many people actually shop on turkey day. If there’s not a big turnout, it seems like the stores would lose money after paying employees and paying for utilities for the day.
To me, it really doesn’t matter if they are open or not. I get more upset that Christmas decorations appear in the stores after Halloween. It makes me feel “rushed” with the countdown of how many shopping days I have left that begins before we’ve even celebrated Thanksgiving. But there’s obviously a demand or the businesses wouldn’t do it.
Will you shop this year on Thanksgiving Day or let the retail businesses know you don’t approve of them being open and stay away?
What do you think?